On Dorian Gray & Sanctification

Last updated on: December 15, 2012 at 10:52 pm by Andrew Marin

On Dorian Gray & Sanctification 2012-12-15T22:52:05-06:00 Andrew Marin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This post was written by Kevin Harris, Director of Community Relations at The Marin Foundation.

The reason I will not exhibit this picture is that I am afraid that I have shown in it the secret of my own soul. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The picture of ourselves that we present to others is often shrouded behind a veil of decency that exhibits the characteristics that we would like for others to associate with us. If vulnerability and authenticity are not promoted, even in our failings and moral lapses, Christianity faces the risk of perpetuating the false images we present and masks we wear as a result of the high moral calling to live lives that reflect Christ.

In “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, Dorian is influenced by a rather hedonistic philosophy and aggrandized perception of youth. So he wishes that the portrait of himself being drawn by his friend Basil would age instead of himself. His wish enables him to maintain his youth, but the picture starts to serve as a window into the reality of his soul as his sins continue to disfigure the picture. He becomes disturbed by what the picture portrays, so he hides it away in a closet. Later in the story, he murders his friend Basil when he sees the picture after it has become disfigured as he could not handle the shame that came along with his friend being able to view the true nature of his soul.

(The Picture of Dorian Gray – 1945 film)

On good days, I like to think that I am a compassionate person that can be patient with others. But thinking about the above mentioned story made me think of my deficiencies in those areas even though I often seek to project those ideals that I hold close. Before coming to work with The Marin Foundation, I spent time in Chicago and Baltimore as a caseworker with families and single men that happened to be homeless. Although I was often impressed by the thankfulness, perseverance, and beautiful expressions of faith that were exhibited by individuals that had good reason to behave otherwise, there were also a few individuals that wore my patience very thin. I realized during my time of working with those that were more difficult, it was not so much their actions that bothered me but the fact that they elicited responses in me that reflected the nature of my soul to those around me along with making me aware of my own shortcomings in a deeper manner like the picture did for Dorian. I did not always look forward to hanging out or working with those that bothered me because of their capacity to bring to the surface and reveal to others the undesirable traits that I would have rather kept hidden. Matthew 5:46 says “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? Yet we so often only hang around those that we like and like us, myself included, when scripture demands that we live in a countercultural way that embraces our enemies and seeks to love the “least of these.” The passage in Matthew where Jesus tells us that “whatever we did for the least of these we did for him” always haunted me because that essentially meant that I really wanted to smack Jesus upside the head. But despite the risk entailed in vulnerability and the pain that often accompanies self-examination, I want to seek to take ownership of my full being in my relationship with God and others to start to dispose of the shame that festers in silence while working to chip away at the barriers that perpetuate division in my relationships with others.

Why do we have such a hard time loving those that are unlike us (socially, theologically, politically, etc.) or that make us angry?

Culture

Guest Posts

Theology

Previous Post

December 3, 2010

Pastors Disagree but Still Love

Next Post

December 8, 2010 Dec 8: My One Sentence Bible

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews Bridging Opposing Worldviews Culture Don't Drink and Drive Faith Guest Posts I'm Sorry Campaign Interviews Language Laura Statesir LGBT Living in the Tension Living in the Tension Gatherings Love Is an Orientation Love Is an Orientation Blog Love Is an Orientation Book Love Is an Orientation DVD Melinda Guerra Memory My One Sentence Bible Newsletter Our Last Option Parents & Families Politics Quick Quotes Quotes ReEngaging Civility Sexuality Speaking The Marin Foundation Theology Uncategorized Us Versus Us Videos Warren Perry Youth and Campus Ministry

Select a Month June 2016 May 2016 December 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz